


The Greatest Gift

by Seyary_Minamoto



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Day 5, F/M, Frigga Feels, Gift, Kidfic, Loki doesn't know how to be happpy, Sif trolls Loki, Sifki Week 2014, Thor likes bees and flowers, Ullr is a grumpy and serious boy like his father, but he doesn't talk about butterflies, fear the cavities, nsfw at first, pregnant!Sif, then fluffiness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-27
Updated: 2014-02-27
Packaged: 2018-01-14 00:02:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1245250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seyary_Minamoto/pseuds/Seyary_Minamoto
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After several years of enjoying peace in Asgard, King Loki's life is suddenly turned upside down when his wife requests the unexpected from him...</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Greatest Gift

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Sifki Week 2014, a take on Sif and Loki's potential family. Canon-esque... unless proven otherwise.

Sif gasped for breath, her fingertips digging into Loki’s scalp as he worked on her steadily. His every movement was intoxicating, as always. She could hardly think straight whenever he dared take control during their shared private moments. His lips were wrapped around her right nipple, and he was rousing it with his skillful mouth. His fingers traced down her body, making her shiver as his hands touched her gently, teasingly. Sif groaned and wrapped her legs around his waist, asking him to stop toying with her. She should be used to his devious ways by now, after so many years of stealing nights to be by his side, but for some reason she couldn’t grow accustomed to his playfulness. At times she would attempt to take command and get away with what she wanted when she wanted it, but once she was in his grasp it was hard to avoid succumbing completely to his touch. Such was the power he held over her.

Loki’s slender fingers slid down towards her womb, grazing the skin around her navel and making her body tremble with anticipation. His hand continued downwards, now testing and teasing her center and making her moan loudly upon the surge of excitement. Loki smirked and leveled his face with hers, trapping her lips with his once he had ascertained she was ready for him.

His hand moved up to her belly once again, and he pressed the palm of his hand to her body. He closed his eyes and brought forth the magic he required for the spell that would keep her safe from another accidental pregnancy… but to his surprise, one of her hands gripped his wrist tightly and pushed his arm away.

“Don’t…” she muttered, looking at him with longing eyes “Not this time…”

Loki’s own eyes widened and he stared at her in shock. It took him a moment to register what she had just requested.

“W-what…? But Sif…” he replied, frowning.

“I would get pregnant? I know so. Why else would I tell you not to?” she said, smiling.

“S-Sif… but… we are still taking care of Ullr, and… Sif, another child?” he asked, unable to give credit to what she was asking of.

“What of it? You have been a wonderful father to Ullr so far” she said, caressing his cheek and kissing his lips softly “Wouldn’t you want him to have a younger sibling?”

“But… our responsibilities, Sif… the throne, your work…”

“Why are you so nervous, Loki?” asked Sif, chuckling “We have done it well enough with Ullr. Wouldn’t you like for our family to grow?

“I… Sif, this is so sudden…” said Loki. It seemed he had forgotten completely about entering her as he lost his cool over her unexpected interruption.

“Do you have a good reason not to, Loki?” asked Sif, raising her eyebrows and nibbling on his neck.

“D-don’t… don’t distract me…” grunted Loki, gritting his teeth as he tried to keep level-headed.

Sif chuckled and pushed him to the side, setting herself atop him now. Loki didn’t fight her, but he was resisting against her regardless. Sif smirked and kissed his neck on her way towards his lips once more, and Loki couldn’t find enough willpower within himself to keep from kissing her back. After a tender exchange, Sif smiled and pressed her forehead against his.

“So? Any reasons yet, Trickster?”

“You’re deliberately keeping me from thinking properly, Sif…” retorted Loki, an eyebrow twitching “How am I supposed to answer you like this?”

“You’re not” said Sif, kissing his chest now “Don’t think about it, Loki. You know the answer already. Stop thinking it through”

Loki wanted to keep thinking about it, he wanted to take at least a day to figure out if another child was a good idea… but Sif was determined to get away with what she wanted. And how was he supposed to fight against her when she was already straddling him? Loki sighed as she engulfed him, and his intent of opposing her decision was forgotten for the moment.

As they hit their orgasm amongst moans and panting, Sif couldn’t stop smiling. She had changed the tables and gotten her way for once.

* * *

His eyes shifted back and forth on the sentence before him, but he hardly realized he was reading the same line time over and time again. Despite how focused he was in the task at hand, he wasn’t processing any of what he was reading. He didn’t even remember which book was in his hands by now. His mind was elsewhere, and he knew it wouldn’t return to the book any time soon 

Sif had gone to visit Eir today, after a few weeks of waiting as patiently as she could in order to find out if she was pregnant or not. Loki still wasn’t certain of how adequate this idea was. He was rather busy ruling Asgard at the moment, and he scarcely had time to spend with his wife and child as he dealt with the countless problems in the Nine Realms. Sif herself didn’t have much time to spare either, splitting her days between taking care of Ullr and performing her duties as Asgard’s finest warrior. Loki had a hard time understanding why she had suddenly decided to have another child, and at times he wondered if she had given this enough thought… rather, if she had given it any thought at all.

Nevertheless, he could understand one reason why she would want Ullr to have a sibling. He knew, even though he wouldn’t admit it aloud before Thor, that without a sibling his childhood would have been bleak and boring. Ullr wasn’t the most cheerful child… perhaps he might need a younger sibling after all. Yet that didn’t make much sense to Loki. Even though Ullr wasn’t all smiles, he seemed quite a content boy. Loki doubted the boy needed any changes… but there was also the chance that a younger brother or sister could make him genuinely happy.

It was a gamble with an unpredictable outcome. At least, he saw it as such. Yet Sif had always been willing to take risks even if the odds weren’t in her favor. Else she might have never gotten involved with him in the first place. And that had been the right decision… hadn’t it? Loki was slightly ashamed to admit that, even after all this time, he would still wonder if he was the right man for Sif. Naturally, he would refrain from saying so in front of Sif. She wouldn’t take well to hear him question their relationship now, when everything was finally working properly after all the hardships they had endured. And that might just be the reason why he couldn’t grow accustomed to his current life. Never before had he enjoyed good fortune for such a prolonged period of time, and he hardly knew what to think of it.

His thoughts were interrupted when the door was opened. Loki had been hiding out in a room he would often run off to during his youth, a place where he could read peacefully without having to endure Fandral’s mockery. Only one more person knew about his hiding place, and she had known just where to find him after her meeting with Eir ended. The day hadn’t been too busy for the King, hence he had thought to use his spare time reading… which had been useless. He had thought of keeping an eye on Ullr, but the boy could take good care of himself. Loki didn’t want him to feel restricted by his parents in any way, and so he allowed Ullr to do as he wished so long as he behaved properly and came back to the Palace for dinner every night. The boy seemed to appreciate his freedom, although he didn’t often thank his father for it.

Sif slipped into the room quickly, closing the door behind her. Loki set down the book and took a deep breath, already knowing what she would inform him of.The smile on her face only served to confirm his beliefs were spot-on.

“We did it” said Sif, smiling widely as she walked towards him, radiant in her joy “We’re pregnant again, Loki”

Asgard’s King wasn’t certain of how good an idea this might be at first, but seeing her smile in this way prompted him to grin as well. He stood up and she threw her arms around him, laughing in pure bliss.

“So Eir confirmed it…” he said, still feeling nervous about the idea of another baby “Is everything well so far? Do we know anything for certain about the child yet?”

“Not nearly enough, but it’s to be expected” said Sif, shrugging “It has only been a few weeks as of yet. We will know more about him later”

“Him? Another boy?” asked Loki, raising his eyebrows.

“I don’t know for certain” admitted Sif, smiling “Who knows? We shall find out later. But for now… rejoice, Loki. You will be a father again, and Ullr will have a younger sibling”

“Yes, that is true…” said Loki, smiling and nodding. If he thought about it that way, he actually felt more comfortable about the idea of fathering another child. And despite how witty and troublesome Ullr could be, Loki couldn’t be more proud of him. It was likely he would feel the same way about the new baby “Yet there is a small issue we need to tend to, Sif”

“What, my work as a warrior?” asked Sif “I believe I can keep it up for the time being, Eir will let me know when to stand down from the frontlines…”

“That isn’t what I had in mind. You dealt with this matter well enough during the time you were carrying Ullr” said Loki, gulping “What I wanted to ask was… how are we going to tell Ullr?”

Sif frowned and her smile faded away before coming back this time as a smirk. As a dangerous smirk that Loki didn’t know how to take.

“How are we going to tell him…? Perhaps you might be wondering ‘who’ will tell him instead of ‘how’”

“That… Sif, it’s not bound to be simple to explain to him that he will be an older brother. He might not take it as well as you believe”

“I suppose it might surprise him. Someone well-versed in careful explanations should be the one to tell him, I believe?”

“Sif…? N-no” said Loki, as he understood what she was implying “We should do it together, cautiously, so that he doesn’t…!”

“Ah, but I believe I’m rather blunt and I don’t always think of the effect my words might cause. You, on the other hand, have always been in perfect control and understanding of what you speak” said Sif, shrugging and smirking teasingly “You have always been deemed ‘Loki Silvertongue’ for a reason, have you not?”

“I thought you took that reason to be one that had little to do with the words I said and instead with my tongue’s prowess in other areas…” muttered Loki, a smile on his face as he stared at Sif with dangerous eyes “And I might just prove the second reason to be more truthful if you stop this folly, my Queen…”

“You would do so to reward me for keeping you from a potentially unpleasant labor?” asked Sif, pretending to consider it “Ummm… No, I don’t think so”

“Sif…” moaned Loki, and she chuckled before pressing her cheek against his chest “You honestly can’t expect me to tell him on my own…”

“You don’t need to do it right away, but it would be best if you did it before the child grows too much” said Sif “Else Ullr will ask many questions, and you will have to explain not only that he will have a younger sibling, but also why you kept the truth from him…”

Loki groaned and dropped his head atop hers, annoyed.

“Since when have you been able to get the better of me like this, Sif? Did our roles switch without my awareness?”

“It’s not the first time you have realized you’ve met your match, or is it?” asked Sif, smirking.

“Not truly” said Loki, smiling as well and embracing her “I have known as much since we first met”

* * *

Loki swallowed hard as he stared at the boy sitting on the Palace playroom. His dark hair covered his face, and his pale hands gripped a storybook tightly as his eyes moved back and forth rapidly, much like Loki’s did when he was reading. People would often fail to believe he was actually reading, and they would question him about the book’s subject afterwards to test him. Ullr never failed to answer their questions, shocking whoever dared believe he wasn’t bound to read so well at such short age. The attitude of those who questioned him irritated Ullr noticeably, and thus he would often choose to stay around those who accepted him just as he was, namely his parents, his aunt and uncle. Thor and Jane would visit Asgard from time to time; they were even staying in the Palace at the moment, and Ullr enjoyed their company very much.

Ullr would often hold conversations with Jane regarding whatever questions he might have about the world around him, namely questions of a scientific interest. Instead of telling him to wait until he was older, Jane was more than pleased to explain to him everything he might want to know. Ullr would understand most concepts, albeit at times it took some time for him to grasp some of them. Jane would explain everything patiently regardless, and thus she had become one of Ullr’s favorite people in no time.

As for Thor, he would often try to encourage Ullr to train and become as fearsome a warrior as his mother. Ullr didn’t hold much interest in learning how to fight, even though he was skilled with the bow and arrow and he was quite capable with blades, but he wouldn’t shy away from Thor as Loki expected him to. It took Loki a moment to realize why that was, until the day came when he understood what interested Ullr so much about his uncle: Thor would always tell him stories about what it was like growing up with Sif and Loki. His tales weren’t as refined as Loki’s, but Ullr enjoyed thoroughly listening to anything Thor might tell him about his parents. Every day he brought a new story, because every day in their youth had been a different adventure. And Ullr lightened up hearing about them all. He would always go back to his parents to ask them if it was true that Loki had released an illusory wolf during Sif’s first visit to Asgard’s Palace, or that Sif had been blonde of hair in ages past, yet she had accepted Loki’s gift of dwarven magic, raven hair similar to his. There were countless stories about hunting trips and feasts, of incidents where they had gotten lost in remote corners of realms… anything Ullr could dream of, he heard about it from Thor.

Loki didn’t often share these stories so leisurely. He wasn’t as comfortable recalling the days of his youth as his brother was. Their point of views in many stories were rather different, and it was often better that Ullr heard Thor’s. He was fair to everyone involved in his tales, although often Loki would get the short end of the stick… but it happened for a reason. If Loki had been the one to cause most the mischief they had to endure, Thor could only tell it as it was.

Thor might not have been so just in his storytelling a few years back, but Loki’s brother had changed over time. He wasn’t trying to glorify himself any longer, he wasn’t trying to boast as he spoke of his great deeds: he truly wanted to interest Ullr in the ways of warriors. And given that his stories filled Ullr with enthusiasm and cheer, Loki held no complaints about them.

Yet Thor wasn’t Ullr’s favorite storyteller. Every night, Ullr would request for his father to come into his room to tell him a bedtime story. There were few regards in which Ullr would go to Loki instead of Sif, but storytelling was definitely one of them. Loki wouldn’t talk to Ullr about his life, such tales weren’t fit for the boy’s ears just yet… Loki didn’t want to bring ideas of mischief into Ullr’s young mind. He didn’t know how his son would react upon discovering some of Loki’s most obscure years, and he would rather keep him from knowing about those matters for now. Thus, Loki’s tales were epic stories, at times based off on books he had read long ago, though at times he would make the stories up himself. No matter which it was, though, Ullr would laugh and smile whenever his father told him a story, which was definitely uncommon for the boy. Loki would change his voice to match the character who was speaking, he could impersonate either a fearsome troll or a princess in distress if he merely tried. But it wasn’t only his acting that amazed Ullr: Loki’s hands would often release magical dust, of many colors, and he would shift the particles in the air, right before Ullr, so that he could see the stories unfold before his own eyes. The magical spectacle had always fascinated him. Loki had feared that, as he grew older, he might grow less interested in the stories he told him, but even though Ullr had become an aloof and serious boy, he would still laugh happily as he witnessed his father’s projections. It was when hearing his son laugh that Loki found it in him to believe Sif’s constant reassuring words about him being a great father to Ullr.

But right now, as he watched him read so keenly, Loki wasn’t so sure he was as great a parent as Sif often said. He stared at the boy from the threshold, wondering if he would always read or if perhaps at some point in time he had actually used the toys that lined the room. Most Asgardians would gift their Prince with toys, but Loki didn’t recall having ever seen his son play with them. Instead, whenever he was given a book he would devour it eagerly, asking him about the meaning of unusual words from time to time. Loki looked around the room again, wondering if perhaps they should turn it into Ullr’s personal library instead of deeming it a playroom…

“Brother!” sounded a hoarse voice outside, and the promised slap on his back arrived just a moment afterwards “Good morning to you!”

Ullr hadn’t noticed Loki’s presence before his Uncle’s exclamation, and now he lifted his head from the book to eye Loki and Thor, wondering what they were doing in his room.

“Morning, Thor” said Loki, trying to smile but only mustering a crooked grimace.

“And good day to you as well, Prince Ullr!” exclaimed Thor, beaming. Ullr nodded in his direction “I trust you slept well”

“Well enough…” muttered Ullr, shrugging and returning to his book.

“Ever the bookworm” said Thor, chuckling “Who might he remind me of?”

And with that he mussed Loki’s hair. Loki stepped into the room to move out of his brother’s grasp, grimacing in irritation towards him.

“You might want to refrain from doing that, Thor. Even as children I could terrify you badly enough if you displeased me”

“Ah, you think I’ll be daunted because you’re King now? You might be, but that doesn’t mean you’ll get treated any differently by me, Loki” said Thor, smiling proudly.

“Could you two… leave?” asked Ullr, looking at them in irritation “I’m trying to read here… you can argue anywhere else in the Palace, can’t you?”

Both Loki and Thor stared at the child with wide eyes. It wasn’t unexpected for Ullr to speak that way to most people, but it certainly had taken them by surprise just now.

“Uh… I suppose so, Ullr, we don’t need to do this here if it bothers you…” said Thor, smiling uncomfortably.

“Perhaps we can argue elsewhere, Thor… but I actually came here to talk to you, Ullr” said Loki, looking at his son solemnly.

Ullr raised an eyebrow before standing up, looking at his father with mild confusion. This was definitely unusual…

“What about, father?” he asked.

Loki took a deep breath before taking the plunge, at long last. It was now or later, and it would be best to get it done quickly.

“You are going to have a sister” he said.

Ullr’s confused frown only grew deeper, to Loki’s initial concern, but he didn’t have much time to register his son’s reaction because of the way his brother slapped his back once more.

“Woah?! Really, now?! Amazing, Loki! Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked, smiling happily “Why didn’t Sif say anything either? This is remarkable! You should have said something!”

“I would have if I had thought you wouldn’t break my back upon discovering it…” grunted Loki, rubbing his back “I knew you would, though. I genuinely hoped Sif might be the one to tell you instead”

“Ah, this is wonderful news, Loki” said Thor, beaming “A new addition to the family! I’m sure Jane will be happy to have another child to share her knowledge with!”

“Well, given that she can’t share it much with you…” muttered Loki, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his fingertips “And if you want her to have more children to teach in the ways of science, why don’t you try giving her some instead of taking mine?”

“Ah, Loki, please…” said Thor, blushing slightly, to Loki’s surprise “I’m not certain Jane and I should do so before being wed, and I believe she doesn’t want a marriage just yet…”

“You might be surprised…” said Loki, smirking.

“How did we end up discussing this, brother?” asked Thor, raising his eyebrows and looking at Loki with suspicion “It was your new child we spoke of! We should celebrate this!”

“Shouldn’t we celebrate it once she’s born…?” asked Loki, matter-of-factly.

“Well, I’m sure that would work too…” said Thor, shrugging before turning towards Ullr “So you’re having a little sister, Ullr! How about that?”

Loki wasn’t pleased to discover the same expression of confusion lingered on his son’s face. The boy lifted his head and looked at his father in what might even be deemed disbelief, before uttering a single word:

“Why?”

Loki felt the blood drain from his face as he stared at Ullr in worry. Even Thor’s jolly attitude disappeared as they both looked at the child as though he posed an astounding danger to them. Who had ever heard of a boy who would ask such a question with such a serious look on his face? He didn’t seem indignant, irritated over thinking he wouldn’t be a single child anymore… he was plainly confused. And so was Loki.

“Why…? What do you mean ‘why’, Ullr?” he muttered, nervously.

“I mean, why?” he asked again “Why am I having a sister?”

“Uh…” said Thor, looking from father to son worriedly before stepping in “I’ll handle this Loki. Let me explain, Ullr”

“What? Thor, please…” said Loki, trying to stop him, but it would serve no purpose.

“You see, Ullr… at times, bees fly from flower to flower. They drop the pollen in a flower and then new flowers are born! Now, this only happens when a bee really likes a flower… and this is what happened, see?”

Loki was about to slap his forehead in disbelief over Thor’s explanation, and the look of utter shock in Ullr’s face only compelled him to do it even moreso.

“See? What am I supposed to see with that? I’m having a sister because bees like flowers?” he asked, making Thor freeze in his spot.

“W-well, that’s not exactly…”

“What do bees and flowers have to do with anything?” said Ullr, shaking his head “What in the name of Yggdrasil are you talking about, Uncle?”

“You’ll handle it, alright…” said Loki, now smirking upon his son’s response. That was just what he would have expected of him. Now, more than ever, he felt a surge of pride in his chest as he looked at Ullr.

“N-no, you don’t understand, Ullr, it’s a metaphor, see…?” muttered Thor, gulping.

“A metaphor of what?” asked Ullr, frowning “Are my parents the flowers and I’m a bee? Am I supposed to change parents because someone else is coming in?”

“Woah, that’s not at all what…!”

“Where’s the point of making a metaphor that doesn’t make any sense, Uncle?” asked Ullr, making Thor feel quite dumb over his explanation.

“Maybe… maybe I didn’t tell it right…” muttered Thor, gulping “See, the thing is, children come into this world…”

“Uh… Uncle? I’m not asking ‘how’” grunted Ullr “I’m asking ‘why’. Not the same question, in case you didn’t notice”

“Oh… Oh” said Thor, blinking a few times before feeling rather relieved. He truly didn’t think having ‘The Talk’ with Ullr when he was still an infant was a good idea.

Ullr turned towards Loki again, still frowning.

“So? Why, Father? Why will I have a sister? What’s that supposed to serve for?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Loki’s smile faded away and he sighed, trying to find an adequate answer to his question. It didn’t take long for him to give up.

“I actually don’t know much about ‘why’, Ullr. Maybe you should ask your mother about that” he muttered.

“Is it she doesn’t think I’m…?” asked Ullr, lowering his head.

“What?” said Loki, looking at the boy worriedly “Ullr…”

“N-nevermind” said the boy, still not looking at his father “Then you don’t know?”

“I don’t, but… what is it, Ullr?”

“I can just ask mother, you two only know about bees and butterflies and…”

“There was no talk of butterflies” said Thor, sternly.

“I’ll just ask mother later” said Ullr, turning towards his book again as the two men in the room stared at him in worry.

“I… I really didn’t tell it right” muttered Thor “Mother knew how to explain it much better than I could”

“There really was no need to talk about bees and flowers, though” said Loki, sighing “You’re so thick-headed, Thor…”

“Bees and flowers?”

Loki, Thor and Ullr jumped at the sound of the very familiar voice. Sif stood on the hallway, eyeing them in confusion. She had been the one to urge Loki to explain matters to Ullr today, months after discovering they were expecting a new child, but she knew Loki might not be able to handle the situation properly. She had decided to keep tabs on the revelation’s outcome just in case things didn’t work out so well, but if they were talking about bees and flowers then this definitely wasn’t the best case scenario.

Ullr looked at her with wide eyes, no longer as serious or reserved anymore. If only worries hadn’t been weighing on his young mind, he would have definitely beamed at his mother.

“You didn’t, Loki” said Sif, staring at him in disbelief.

“Not me! It was Thor!” Loki declared, trying to keep from being accused of Thor’s dumb intervention.

“To this day and age you two still hold on to Frigga’s old story?” asked Sif, smiling “That is rather surprising”

“It was a good story” said Thor, defensively “At least, when she told it”

Sif ignored him, though. She entered the room and approached Ullr, who smiled weakly at her.

“And what are you reading, Ullr?” she asked, smiling gently at the child.

“It’s just a book…” he said shyly, looking away and putting it aside “Mom… I’m having a sister?”

“Why, yes, you are” said Sif, caressing Ullr’s soft hair “Is it alright with you?”

“W-well, if that’s what you want…” muttered Ullr, shrugging “But… why should I have a sister? I… I thought I might be good enough…”

“Oh, you silly boy” said Sif, sitting beside a table and pulling him to her lap gently “Enough? You’re so much more than that! You truly thought we would have another child because you didn’t suffice?”

“I… I didn’t know…” muttered Ullr, shrugging “It didn’t make much sense, but I had to ask…”

“I’m glad you know it made no sense” said Sif, smiling “That’s not the reason why you’re having a little sister, Ullr, not at all. And you don’t need to be afraid of being replaced, your father and I love you with everything we have, just as we will love your sister. You can share us with her, can’t you?”

“I… I guess I won’t have a choice” said Ullr, smiling weakly.

“Ah, what a mean little boy” said Sif, tickling him. Ullr couldn’t keep from laughing before she stopped to press a kiss to the top of his head “You’ll be a big brother now, Ullr. What do you have to say about that?”

“A… big brother?” asked Ullr, raising an eyebrow.

“You hadn’t thought of that, Ullr?” asked Sif, smiling “Yes, a big brother. Just like Uncle Thor was your father’s big brother”

“Now Sif, I still am. Even if he’s king, he’s still the little one” said Thor, threatening to muss Loki’s hair again. Loki glared at him dangerously and Thor decided against it.

“Is being a big brother fun?” asked Ullr, looking at Thor.

“It is, it is. Your younger sibling is always fun to tease and play with!” said Thor, throwing an arm around Loki’s shoulders now.

“And your younger sibling will often tease you back a little more harshly than strictly needed…” said Loki, glaring at Thor “But it’s often the only way to get the message across”

“What message?” asked Ullr, surprised.

“‘Stop annoying me’” said Loki, pushing Thor away. The God of Thunder laughed at Loki’s movement “It has been countless years and Thor still fails to understand it”

Ullr giggled and looked at them with curiosity. He had always known they were brothers, of course, but he had never given their sibling relationship much thought.

“So my sister will think I’m annoying?”

“So long as you’re not like Thor, she probably won’t” said Loki, smiling.

“Your sister might not be easy to get along with” said Sif “Not all siblings get along as well as your father and uncle…”

“Huh” said Loki, skeptically.

“We don’t always get along so well either” said Thor, smiling weakly.

“But the bond between siblings is very special, Ullr” said Sif, smiling “All those techniques your uncle has taught you for fighting… they’re meant to be used to protect those you care about. To protect your family, your friends and, now, your sister”

“Then I should protect her” said Ullr, thoughtful “I see… Uncle protected Father a few times when they were performing quests through the Nine Realms”

“And it might just surprise you to know that your Father also saved your Uncle plenty of times as well” said Loki, proudly.

“Really?” asked Ullr “Then… my sister will protect me too?”

“She might” said Sif, smiling “I’m sure you’re both going to be grow to be really strong, and you’ll be able to watch each other’s backs. Just like your father and Thor did, like they still do to this day”

Ullr’s face seemed to light up at the idea. To think he might live stories like those Thor had told him, adventures in far away lands with his sibling by his side…

“I guess… I understand now” he said, smiling “It’s a good thing… I didn’t know if it would be, but it’s a good thing to have a sister”

“It sure will be” said Sif, kissing his head again.

“Ah, it will be fun, I assure you of that” said Thor “Perhaps you’ll have a few moments when you’ll want to smash your brother’s skull in with your hammer…”

“Or you’ll want to toss your brother into an abyss, perhaps” grunted Loki, folding his arms over his chest.

“But it will be worth the trouble in the end” said Thor “It was for us after all”

“I guess so” said Loki, though he couldn’t keep from smiling.

“Then… I should probably go train more, shouldn’t I?” asked Ullr, looking at Thor expectantly “If I’m to protect my sister…”

“By all means, my Prince” said Thor, bowing down and gesturing at the hallway “Shall we go spar for the time being?”

“Yes!” said Ullr, nodding enthusiastically “Will you come too, mother, father?”

“We will be right behind you two” said Loki, as Ullr scrambled off Sif’s lap and ran outside to the hallway.

“I’ll be even stronger than Uncle Thor!” exclaimed Ullr proudly.

“Now, now… I’d say you’ll have a hard time accomplishing that, but with Sif as your mother it really might not be” said Thor, chuckling and following the boy down the Palace.

Sif smiled and watched them walk away before approaching Loki, a smile on her face.

“Subduing storms as if it were no trouble whatsoever” said Loki, smiling at her “You definitely have the heart of a Queen”

“Or the heart of a mother” said Sif, smiling and linking an arm with his “Now, I’m still wondering how the bees and flowers’ story came back…”

“Thor began spouting nonsense before I could stop him. Ullr didn’t buy it, not even by mistake” said Loki, smiling.

“You seem rather proud… I hope you’re not acting as if you hadn’t believed that story back in your childhood”

“I did not, as a matter of fact” said Loki “I never told my mother otherwise in an attempt to keep from disappointing her. And besides, Thor was fawning over it, it wouldn’t have been helpful to say it made little to no sense…”

“So you say right now, my King, but I’m having a hard time believing it to be true” said Sif, smirking and dropping her head on his shoulder as they walked down the hallway.

“Why wouldn’t you believe me? You always say Ullr is just like I used to be” said Loki “If that is true, you should know I’m not as gullible as you might have thought…”

“Times change, perhaps if Ullr had been born in older days he might have believed it” said Sif, shrugging.

“I doubt that” said Loki.

“Of course you do” replied Sif, smiling “Nevertheless, if it’s true you didn’t believe it, you never said so anyways. Yet Ullr had no qualms in pointing out what an useless explanation it is…”

“Because that relentless honesty, Sif, came from you and nowhere else” said Loki, smiling “I wasn’t that blunt. You, on the other hand, have never been one to conceal your opinions, and neither is he”

“On that regard, I agree” said Sif, smiling as they reached the training grounds, where Ullr was currently being clad in his small warrior’s armor “Good luck, Ullr! Defeat that goof of an Uncle you have!”

“I will!” Ullr replied, smiling proudly, and Thor laughed.

“I will admit… that didn’t end as badly as I expected” said Loki, smiling “But now you see, the best way to tell him was together”

“Oh, truly? All you did was say he would have a sister. Clearly, I could have done it by myself” said Sif, and Loki stared at her in fake indignation.

“If that’s so, Lady Sif, why didn’t you?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Sif couldn’t keep from smiling mischievously at him.

“You want to hear the blunt, honest truth? It was because I wanted to see just how hard you would have it explaining matters to Ullr”

Loki shook his head and Sif laughed at his reaction.

“You were right, without a doubt” he said, smiling as well “I have definitely met my match in you”

* * *

“So… which shall it be tonight, Ullr?” asked Loki, smiling as he sat on the edge of the young prince’s bed.

It was tradition that Loki would come by his son’s room every night, to tell him a story before bed. When Ullr had been younger the stories had served to lull him into a quiet sleep… but the older he became, the more enthusiastic he was about each tale his father told him. At times he would beg Loki to tell him another story after he was finished, and Loki would promise him he would have another one on the next day. Ullr wasn’t too cheerful about the prospect of having to wait, but his complaints would be appeased by his mother, who would come by to say good night right after Loki’s story-time had ended.

Ullr beamed and sat cross-legged on the mattress, staring at his father cheerfully.

“I want to hear the story of Sigurd and the dragon, father! Can you tell me that one again, please?”

“You seem to have a soft spot for dragon stories, do you not?” said Loki, raising his eyebrows.

“They’re so exciting!” said Ullr “And I like the way you tell them… can you tell me that one tonight, father, please?”

Loki smiled and lowered his gaze for a moment. After taking a deep breath, he nodded and began talking. Sparks flew from his fingertips as he illustrated the tale magically, and Ullr’s eyes blazed as he watched the story develop before him.

“… And thus, after slaying the dragon and the companion who sought to betray him, Sigurd was ready to undertake a new adventure, this time to find the woman who would become his wife… but that is another story”

“Oh, father!” complained Ullr, as ever “It can’t be another story! It’s still Sigurd’s story! You can tell me the rest right now, I’m not sleepy yet…”

Loki chuckled and shook his head, patting the boy’s back gently.

“You should be. It’s late, Ullr. You can have the rest of the story tomorrow, you know as much”

“But father…” whined the boy, looking at Loki with longing eyes.

“Now, now, Ullr. Don’t try to dissuade your father” said Sif from the room’s threshold. She would often approach while Loki was still telling the story, listening as well and watching Loki and Ullr during those precious moments when the two of them engaged in their tales “You know it’s time for bed”

“Oh, mom…” muttered Ullr, giving up as soon as she spoke. He might have had a chance to convince his father, but he knew well enough that his mother’s will wouldn’t bend.

“It’s time for sleep, little one” said Sif, walking towards where Loki had been sitting.

“Your mother is right, Ullr. The faster you fall asleep, the sooner you’ll hear the next story” said Loki, ruffling the kid’s dark hair “Good night, Ullr. Sleep well”

“Night, father” replied Ullr, smiling weakly at him.

Asgard’s King stood up and allowed his wife to take his place, not without smiling at her first. Sif caressed his arm and sat beside Ullr, ready to tuck him into bed. Ullr seemed a little resentful for her interruption, but not enough to keep from letting her kiss his forehead as he slipped into bed.

“You should hear father’s stories” he muttered “All of them. If you did, you’d understand that sleeping isn’t that important…”

I’ve heard your father’s stories several times now, Ullr” said Sif, smiling “He’s a gifted storyteller, but you’re a growing boy. You need your sleep, or else you might risk falling asleep in the middle of a tale. You wouldn’t want that, would you?”

Ullr seemed horrified at the idea, and he shook his head as though sleeping through a story were the most scandalous concept he could have imagined. Loki chuckled at his reaction and he left Sif and Ullr to themselves, walking through the Palace’s corridors. He reached a balcony from which he would often gaze over the realm, and there he stood, his mind racing even though he wished it would remain quiet for tonight.

Sif appeared at the balcony after a few minutes, once she had tucked Ullr into bed successfully. Loki sensed her presence, but he didn’t turn to look at her. Sif approached and took one of his hands in hers, knowing something was troubling Loki’s mind.

“What is it this time, Loki?” she asked, frowning softly.

“Not something you should grow too concerned about” said Loki, smiling weakly “Just… at times I see why you believe he’s much like me. I… I recall having asked my mother several times for Sigurd’s story as well. She was the one who told it to me in the first place”

“Of course” said Sif, lowering her gaze.

“At times I wonder… what would she say if she were here now?” he muttered “I’m sure she would have never approved of my methods, the things I’ve done that have brought me to where I am now… I’m sure I couldn’t ask her to feel proud of me. Not truly”

“Loki, you aren’t the same man who was deemed a traitor to Asgard” said Sif, dropping her head on his shoulder “You have ruled the Nine Realms for several years already, and you have kept peace despite how difficult it could be at times. You have raised a wonderful boy, smarter than any other child in Asgard, and you’re only a few months away from becoming a father once again… do you truly believe she wouldn’t be proud of how far you’ve come?”

“She shouldn’t be” muttered Loki, turning his face away from her.

“Stop blaming yourself for what happened, Loki” said Sif, embracing him. Her large belly pressed against his side “Your mother feasts in Valhalla now… I’m certain she does”

“I don’t doubt it” replied Loki “But at times I wonder… I wonder if she knew she would die that day. Or if she knew I would be king… that I would rule over Asgard, that I would give you a son… at times I wish she still lived so she could meet Ullr. I’m certain Ullr would have enjoyed her storytelling even more than he enjoys mine”

“You’re such a foolish Trickster” said Sif, smiling “When he hears you tell all those stories, when he watches as you use your magic to amaze him, you’re doing exactly what your mother used to do for you and Thor. Ullr enjoys her stories through you, Loki. And he has come to know her through you. Don’t you see it?”

Loki sighed and gazed up towards the night sky. Sif spoke truly, yet it was difficult for him to accept it. It wasn’t enough.

“Is it so wrong for me to wish she still lived?” he muttered.

“What is wrong is for you to believe her demise was to be blamed on you” said Sif, taking his face on her hands “Enough blaming yourself, Loki. You didn’t kill her”

“I might as well have. I told them where…”

“Loki” said Sif, staring at him in the eyes “Enough”

Loki was silenced upon her harsh command, but even though her voice was powerful, her gaze was gentle. She caressed his face and pressed her forehead against his.

“Regret will consume you, much like revenge almost did. All you can do for Frigga now is become the best father and king you could be. She always thought of you as your son, no matter what you might do or who you might become. She loved you no less, and she wasn’t afraid to show it, when you had lost your way. The best homage you can pay her is prove you have found it anew. And you have, Loki. Don’t blame yourself any longer. The past is behind us, and it cannot be changed. But you changed your future, Loki. And so long as you lead on this life as you have, you shall meet her again one day. And I assure you she will only smile at you, never blaming you for her fate”

Loki gritted his teeth and buried his face on her neck, holding Sif tightly in his arms. She caressed his hair gently, kissing the side of his head as he tried to regain his calm.

They stood on the balcony in silence for a moment, as Loki’s mind was soothed for the moment. He couldn’t promise he would no longer blame himself for his mother’s demise, he probably always would… but Sif’s words held a truth of their own that he would not deny. He pulled away and caressed her face, sighing once more.

“My mother always knew about us, Sif… she never said a word, but she knew”

“I know” replied Sif “Some instances convinced me of it”

“She had the skill of foresight, although she would never share her knowledge” muttered Loki “Perhaps she knew Ullr after all… perhaps she knew we would have a family of our own one day”

“I wouldn’t doubt she did” said Sif, smiling “She must have always known you would find your way”

“She must have always known you would be the one to show it to me” said Loki, leaning towards her and kissing her lips gently “Ullr has as wonderful a mother as I did”

“Mayhaps this is the reason why he is so much like you” said Sif, placing her head on his shoulder again and holding him close.

Loki’s hand slid towards her womb, caressing it gently. He could feel the child moving within, she had begun kicking a few weeks ago. She was so restless that Loki was convinced she would grow to be just as fierce as her mother. He kissed Sif’s forehead, his hand still on her belly.

“How much longer?” he asked.

“A few months” replied Sif “Just wait patiently, Loki. You will meet your new daughter soon”

Loki smiled at last and nodded, pulling Sif into an embrace and leading her out of the balcony and towards their room. It was strange of him to feel so eager to watch those few months to pass them by quickly…

* * *

Loki entered the room as quietly as he could, sneaking a peek inside before making his presence known. He had been informing the rest of Asgard that Sif had delivered their daughter safely two days ago, and she was currently resting in bed. The city rejoiced in the birth of their new Princess, Einmyria, and they congratulated Loki for becoming a father once again. Their accepting of him as their King still baffled Loki, and their glee upon Einmyria’s birth was even more surprising. He would never get accustomed to being appreciated by Asgard after all those years of being shunned and disdained.

He smiled when he processed the scene within the room: Sif lay in bed, holding a bundle in her arms. Her chest was bare, since she was breastfeeding the baby. And right next to her lay Ullr, staring at his mother with curious eyes.

“What is she doing anyway?” he asked, looking at the baby thoughtfully “I don’t get it”

“I’m breastfeeding her, Ullr” said Sif, smiling at her son “She’s eating”

“Eating? How does that work?” asked Ullr “Nobody said anything about her eating you…”

“Oh, she’s not eating me” said Sif, chuckling “She’s drinking milk, see?”

“Uh… not really” muttered Ullr, frowning “It’s strange”

“You think so? You did the same thing while you were a baby, Ullr” said Sif, smirking at him.

“I… I did?” asked Ullr, baffled “I don’t recall having done so”

“Well, I do” said Loki, walking into the room with a smile as well “And you were quite attached to your mother while you were a baby. You ate as much as Volstagg”

“Not true” said Ullr, pouting “Nobody eats as much as Volstagg”

“Your mother does, at times” said Loki, sitting next to Sif.

“Only if I’m carrying your children, oh, King of Asgard” said Sif, smiling at him “How did things fare?”

“They were all relieved to hear you were safe. And I’m certain they can hardly wait to meet Einmyria… though I asked them to allow us some privacy for the time being”

“Well thought, Loki” said Sif, smiling and looking down at the tiny child in her arms.

She was so small, smaller than Loki imagined she would be. He hadn’t had the chance to see Ullr as a newborn, but even so he thought Ullr never must have been so small. Her tiny head was covered with thin black hair, much like his own. And she was sucking on Sif’s breast eagerly, her eyes closed as she did.

“How much can she eat?” asked Ullr “She’s that small…”

“We’ll see” said Loki, smiling “She will need food to grow stronger. Much like you did”

“She’s so strange-looking” said Ullr, staring at his sister thoughtfully “Her head is too big for her body, did you notice?”

“That is the normal head size for any baby, Ullr” said Sif, laughing “You are rather talkative today, aren’t you?”

“Maybe” said Ullr, dropping his gaze and pushing himself up to sit on the mattress. He stared at his mother and his sister pointedly, apparently waiting for the moment when the child would stop breastfeeding.

“And how do you like your little sister, Ullr?” asked Loki.

“I don’t know, I think she doesn’t like me…” muttered Ullr “Mother let me hold her a moment ago and she started wailing and screaming”

“Well, you used to do the exact same thing while in your father’s arms, Ullr” said Sif, smiling and mussing Ullr’s hair with a free hand “And you like your father just fine now, don’t you?”

Loki actually felt nervous as he awaited Ullr’s response. The boy looked away and nodded, shyly.

“I do…”

“Then you needn’t fret” said Sif “Your sister will grow used to you soon enough”

Loki was rather surprised by Ullr’s affirmative answer. He smiled and patted Ullr’s head as well, and the boy blushed at his father’s gesture. It wasn’t every day that he spoke his feelings as he just had. He was rather proud, much like his father was. Any signs of affection coming from him were quite rare, especially when they were directed towards Loki.

Sif shifted suddenly, looking at Einmyria as she did. The child was no longer sucking, and now looked rather sleepy instead. She moved her hands around, touching Sif’s breasts with her tiny fingers. Sif smiled as she tried to appease the girl, but her movements wouldn’t stop.

“Maybe she’s bored of being held by me” said Sif, looking at Loki with raised eyebrows.

The mere suggestion of taking the baby into his arms took Loki by surprise. He hadn’t held her properly yet, and he wasn’t sure if he should do so just yet.

“Do you think that’s a good idea, Sif?” Loki asked, worried “She seems so… fragile”

“Please, Loki” said Sif, rolling her eyes “You know well enough that I’m much stronger than you are. If I haven’t damaged her, what are the chances for you to do so?”

Her logic was infallible, Loki couldn’t deny it. He chuckled and allowed her to place Einmyria in his arms, and he held her carefully, making sure to support her head as he did. The child’s hands still moved about, though not as desperately as before.

“Hello, Einmyria” he muttered, smiling gently.

Sif fixed her clothes, after wiping her breasts clean again. Ullr climbed atop her, taking her by surprise, looking at his sister as she was held in his father’s arms.

“It’s very nice to meet you” said Loki, caressing the child’s hair gently.

Her small hand reached up again, and she grasped Loki’s ring finger, to everyone’s surprise. Ullr blinked a few times, quite astounded by his sister’s new movement. That was something she hadn’t done before.

“What’s she doing?” he asked, surprised.

“That’s what I’d like to know” said Sif, smiling as she watched Loki and Einmyria with amusement.

Loki touched Einmyria’s hand with his thumb, and her constant moving finally stopped. She seemed to calm down after touching him, as though she had found peace. As though she felt safe in his arms.

“Would you look at that. She likes you better than me and yet I was the one to carry her for all those months” said Sif, shaking her head, yet smiling “Such an ungrateful child”

Loki couldn’t help but chuckle at her words. Sif dropped her head on his shoulder as she watched her daughter tenderly. Ullr still seemed surprised by Einmyria’s sudden hand-grabbing.

“Did I do that too?” he asked his mother, and Sif hugged him with one arm.

“You did many things, Ullr. You didn’t grab your father’s hand, but you smiled a few times right after you had been born. That’s quite unusual, I’ll have you know”

“I did?” asked Ullr, surprised.

“You weren’t always such a grump, see?” said Sif playfully, and Ullr blushed.

“Not fair” he mumbled, dropping atop his mother’s chest. Sif caressed his hair gently and held him in her arms, sighing happily as she watched both her children.

Einmyria fell asleep after some time, or so it seemed to Loki. She wasn’t moving much, and her breathing was very regular now. Still, he held her in his arms, not even considering placing her on the cradle or giving her to Sif, who was dealing with her own case of a sleepy child. Ullr had fallen asleep atop her just as his sister had dozed off in her father’s arms.

“At times I have a hard time believing we have made it this far, Loki” said Sif, caressing Ullr’s dark hair “It feels like only a few days ago when we thought our relationship was doomed”

“When we thought you would be forced to marry Thor” muttered Loki softly, trying to keep the children from waking

“Oh, you thought so” said Sif, smiling “I didn’t want to marry your brother, Loki, and he didn’t wish to marry me either. There was absolutely no way I would have accepted an enforced betrothal”

“Truly. Nobody can subdue Sif’s willpower” said Loki, teasingly.

“And you should know so well enough. Never did you subdue me. I gave myself willingly to you, else you wouldn’t have had me at all”

“Of course not” said Loki, smiling and dropping his head atop hers “Though if you had resisted me I would have pursued you no matter what…”

“As if you would have” said Sif, rolling her eyes “You were such a shy boy, Loki, do you truly think I’d believe that?”

“That shy boy became the man I am now… who is to say this side of me wasn’t just dormant? Perhaps if you had rejected me it would have awakened”

“I’m relieved it didn’t. It was better to share my childhood with a gentle boy than with this devious Trickster who fathered my children”

Loki chuckled and kissed her head, still holding Einmyria’s hand with his.

“They’re both a wonder” said Sif, smiling “Out of all the things you did for me, Loki… out of all the gifts you’ve ever given me, our children is the one I cherish most”

Loki smiled and leaned down, pressing his lips to hers. Sif caressed his cheek as they kissed, basking in the happiness she had never known she would experience in her life. Never before had she felt such joy, such comfort, such peace.

And Loki felt the exact same way. Much as she believed he had given her a wonderful gift, he believed the greatest gift of all was what he had received from her: their family.


End file.
